The Ixian delegation
by XxOnyxButterflyxX
Summary: In magic study the Ixian's arrived for the delegation however what if it was a few years before it happened? What if Yelena had gotten used to Sitia and being without them?


**I always felt like it would have been nice if the Ixian's weren't so involved in Magic/fire study. I think if they weren't there so quickly Yelena could have evolved into a real Sitian which would have been more interesting for when she met her Ixian friends again. Possible OOC ness, I tried to avoid it though. Some infomation taken from the Glass series. set around four years after fire study. **

* * *

I placed both hands on the machete as I regained my posture. I had been fighting with my brother for almost the whole morning, and neither of us seemed to be winning, much to the amusement of Leif. Each strike I made he blocked, however his lessons were paying off as I stayed on my feet. Sweat was dripping down my brow and my muscles felt tired from our sparing session. I sucked in a few deep breaths. Reaching out my awareness I feigned an attack to the left before I changed direction and tried to knock him of his feet. Leif blocked again, however from the startled look on his face i could tell he was impressed. He suggested we took a short break and I gladly accepted the offer. Since our relationship was repaired by moon man all those years ago, he made a deal with our mother that he would teach me how to use a machete in a fight in exchange for me being allowed to finish the last of my training. I suppose the bruises and aches have been worth it and I should be grateful for it.

We placed our weapons to the ground in a mutual agreement to end the match. The sun emitted strong rays of heat as it hung above us. It was the height of the hot season and, as my hunger reminded me, noon. We shared a brief look of embarrassment as both our stomachs reminded us to eat, before walking back to Leif and Mara's house. After a whirlwind romance the two of them got married, much to the surprise of our parents who seemed to believe that since I was 'reunited' with them Leif would quit work at the keep and the four of us would remain at the homestead in the jungle. Mara opened the door to us and began mothering almost straight away.

'You two were ages! What were you doing, waging war with Ixia?" I opened my mouth to protest but she hushed me "As long as you're alright, Yelena. The pair of you are both far too serious about training! You've only been in the citadel for a few hours and you're already bruised!" she sighed in exasperation before welcoming Leif home.

"well she's used me as bait, had me cra-" Mara stopped him with a stern look leaving Leif fumbling on words. She went to finish cooking lunch for us and Leif followed like a puppy, most likely so he could steal her kisses.

Irys' voice sounded in my mind shocking me out of my musings. '_Yelena? There is something you may want to hear…' _my eyes widened in curiosity. She was obviously in a rush as instead of using her own abilities to connect, she used one of Opal's glass messengers to connect to my mind.

'What is it about?' I asked her. I had recently been on a trip to stormdancer lands to investigate for the masters and search for any new souls. The news of my arrival had caused some disturbance as my fame seemed to be getting the better of me and after one bandit made the mistake of crossing my path, news travelled all too fast. Convinced it was about the mission I was about to tell her I would visit her office later but her voice cut in before I could form the sentence together.

'_There will be a delegation of Ixian's. We predict they will arrive in six days.'_ Her voice echoed in my mind as I struggled to believe what she was saying. Kidnapped when I was a child I had spent fourteen years in Ixia before finally returning home. After a while of feeling lost I finally found my place in Sitia, my home. After so long I was almost struggling to remember the faces of the people I surrounded my days with. Of course I had not completely closed my heart to them, Ari, Janco, Maren…Valek. However the knowledge I would never see them again was almost set in stone and I found myself moving on from my loss and gaining new connections in my homeland. I never replaced them, but I knew for certain that I, the food taster, would have been replaced almost instantly.

Ari and Janco would have moved on and trained someone else. Valek… I did not know what to make of Valek. I would not say I was brainwashed, but his name was spat out like he was the plague, people froze in fear when his name was uttered. It was as if he was the plague or a fer-de-lance snake. Rather than hear all the hateful comments attached to his name each time I said it, I just locked all my feelings away, telling my family nothing about him or our interactions. They just assumed I met him a few times before I was taken into the care of someone else. He probably cared for someone else by now anyway. It was only me who held on to childish fantasies of a heart mate. Only Irys knew the truth and that was how I intended it to stay.

I had been through so much my longing for Ixia was in the past. I had to focus on staying alive for a long time. I was nearly executed again, and I somehow managed to pass the masters test. All these things seemed trivial to my somehow finding a way to fit in. I remember thinking that every plant and tree had a reason for existing in the jungle and after a long time of wishing I felt as though I found my page with the reason for my existence. Ixia was simply a place I used to know, but I never really belonged in. Magic held me to Sitia, magic and fate.

Frustration hit me as I realised how soft I had become, although I figured it was probably for the better. I ate the soup Mara made quickly before going to the guest bedroom I had stayed in the early hours. _'Lavender lady sad'_ Kiki's voice echoed in my mind. A small smile broke out on my face. _'Lavender lady is sad' _I agreed.

* * *

As Irys' aide and the soulfinder, I found myself being formally asked to appear at the side of the master magicians, next to my brother and Opal as we were deemed the "Heroes of sitia" much to the disdain of Opal's classmates. I had to be dressed up in a floor length robe. My robe was not the yellow robe I was used to wearing as an apprentice but one that was made for my position as soulfinder. A dark coral colour, the silk robe was form fitting at the top with long a long skirt that fell loosely around my ankles. I played with the sleeves that fell almost as long as the dress. When the dress was made I managed to talk Nutty out of using traditional garish prints that the Zaltana's usually wore and convinced her to let me wear a darker orange.

Leif squeezed my arm gently to help calm my nerves. His defences were down so I could hear his thoughts. I thanked him and regained my posture. Conversations hushed and the sound of the trumpet players echoed throughout the hall. The Ixian's had arrived. The "ambassador" led the procession, wearing a tailored suit with two diamonds on her collar. Amber eyes focused straight ahead as they stepped in a forced straight line. I glanced at the soldiers, curious to see if I recognized any of them. Ari's thick arm muscles looked tight against the uniform. His eyes glanced past me before a realisation hit him. He was looking at Yelena, the old food taster and his old friend_. _I closed my eyes and kept a bored yet serene look on my face. When I was certain that all emotions had left me, I scanned the crowd again. Janco was there, sauntering next to Ari looking so much healthier than when I last saw him. His skin seemed more tanned than I remember, and he looked older than when I last saw him but I instantly recognized them. That meant he was here right?

After all the formalities were over I walked besides Opal and Leif, the two of them questioning me about how I felt. Ulrick, Opal's partner swiftly came in to take her away. I winked at her and hugged her making promises to see her again soon. I considered approaching Ari and Janco, however I was quickly stopped by my clans leader, Bavol Cacao.

"Your father send a message" I looked at him curiously, as he handed me the sealed note. The smell of earth was still on the parchment, it had probably only arrived this morning. I thanked him and went off to read the message when I was intercepted by the power twins. They paused for a moment as if trying to think of something to say. I stared at them, wondering what they were going to say. Leif came up behind me and put his hand on my shoulder. I looked at him and tried to think of what to say.

"What's with the dress?" Janco finally joked. Glad the uncomfortable silence was over I smiled faintly.

"Better than your wrinkled uniform" I smirked feeling pleased with myself. "is that grey hair I see in your goatee?" I suppressed a grin when I saw his mock horror.

"It's good to see your okay" Janco was about to pull me into a hug when Ari stopped him.

"Janco" Ari's eyes held warning. "We're not supposed to be fraternizing with the Sitians" He looked guilty as he gazed at me. Perhaps he felt he was betraying our friendship by being so formal. Instead I did the formal bow from the waist, quickly followed by Leif.

His mind was open. _'Are you okay?' _he thought. I showed him a weak smile before telling him I am fine.

'_No teasing today, Leif? Are you feeling alright?'_

'_I won't tease my little sister when she's like this'_

'_Like what Leif?'_ He closed his eyes and inhaled, I could tell he smelt the air around me. it was like he was testing my aura.

'_Sadness, loss, confusion, hurt, fear' _

'_Show off' _I cut the mental connection.

Leif made an excuse and quickly left to speak to our clan leader.

"Who was that?" Ari asked. He looked as if he was trying to undo any damage his warning to Janco had done. I didn't mind what he said, however I didn't feel like telling him that.

"My brother" I replied coolly. A surprised look was shared between the pair and I said what I knew they were about to say. "I know there's no resemblance. I take after my mother not my father." I thought they were about to utter the word magic. It was no magic just years of people telling us the same thing time and time again.

Feeling pretty down after the meeting went worse than I expected, I excused myself. I walked out of the large door and didn't stop until I reached a large oak tree on the campus grounds. As my mother had done in many of my early days at the keep, I swiftly climbed the tree and rested on the high braches, searching for peace. After a while of being lost in my thoughts I put my hand on the switch blade attached to my leg. The wood had begun to split at the handle, from many long hard years of fighting. It had got me out of a lot of difficult situations, lacing the blade with curare to protect myself against attackers. It saved my life many times but was growing tired and could do with being replaced. "Friends forever" was engraved in old Ixian battle codes on the handle, my fingers running over the symbols. Perhaps it was my friendships that saved me so many times, but those friendships were showing signs of wear just like my switch blade.

I looked down to see Ari and Janco walking around the keep's grounds asking questions. They were speaking with Dax Greenblade, one of my friends from when I first came to the citadel to learn about my powers. He loved hearing about my adventures and often accompanied me on them when I could convince first magician Bain Bloodgood he was needed. However, in the past year due to his new position as history professor, it's become less and less common. His reverted back to his original "lets live through Yelena's adventures" which tends to mean us meeting up and gossiping over what happened.

"Yelena?" he asked raising a eyebrow. His eyes were looking up at me as he knew where I was. I shrugged and looked confused until he was convinced and looked away. "Who's she upset now?" he sighed dramatically.

"It's probably the other way around…" Janco muttered. I only just managed to hear him but Dax looked incredibly surprised. I suppressed a laugh as the look on his face made it obvious the concept of someone upsetting me was alien.

"That's rare." Dax chirped up. He nodded to the tree I was in. "those crazy Zaltana's and their weird tree blood! Making me play ru" I jumped from the tree and fell to the ground .

"Dax! What did I tell you? Watch what you say about my clan; Forest boy!" we grinned at each other before he nodded at my dress.

"Nutty will kill you"

"Why? " I looked at him quizzically.

"Your dress" he remarked. I looked down. the beautiful silk gown had a few tears in it from when I was climbing the tree and the gown had been stained with small green patches from the leaves and brown from the mud. I tied my long sleaves into knots to make it more practical for climbing.

"Snake spit!" I gasped.

"Listen I better be going, I'll see you tonight okay Soulfinder?" he winked at me and bowed to Ari and Janco. The power twins looked at me and I gave them a weary smile. I felt as if Dax just dropped me in it and I made a small promise to myself that I would deal with him later.

"Listen, Yelena. It's not like we're not still friends with you" Ari looked at me apologetically. I nodded.

"Sieges weathered, fight together, friends forever." Janco recited. "I remember when we gifted you it" he smiled at Ari.

"Still friend's right?" Ari asked. His tight blonde curls looked really pale in the bright sun. "I mean it would still apply if you were a goat, at least to us it would"

"As long as you make us goat cheese" Janco added. "Can you turn anyone into a goat yet?"

"I skipped the lesson on turning people into goats." I explained, trying to act as serious as possible.

"Not gone completely southern on us then?" Janco grinned at me, I knew the answer he wanted but I also knew the answer that I knew was always true. I discarded my sandals as soon as I was out of the hall. They were somewhere nearby as I left them at the foot of the tree but in my past few years I've come to enjoy the feeling of the ground between my toes. My lips were painted with crushed berries not the skin paints that I was used to in Ixia. I felt most at home with the jungle, the earthy smells and the heat. i knew that there was no point hiding it. I found where I belonged, in the south. In Sitia.

"I have been all along." I grinned.


End file.
